San Diego, CA
For Kevin De Bruyne to move to MLS with San Diego FC, here’s what has to happen
Each January brings many reports of varying authenticity of ageing superstars being “eyed” (or a a similar transfer cliche) for a move to Major League Soccer. Often, these links lean into the “silly” portion of the silly season.
At times, these are thinly veiled attempts to bolster a veteran’s negotiating position as they hope to stay among Europe’s highest levels. Other times, there’s far more weight to the links than merely keeping the transfer rumor mill in operation. The latter scenario is true of Kevin De Bruyne as he nears the end of his contract with Manchester City.
In May, The Athletic first reported on the mutual interest between San Diego FC and De Bruyne. At the time, it was clear that the modern Belgian legend preferred a move to MLS over the Saudi Pro League, with the midfielder considering the California market among his preferred destinations should he come Stateside.
Since then, De Bruyne has walked back potential disinterest in the Pro League, telling Belgian outlet HLN this summer that “at my age, you have to be open to everything. You’re talking about incredible amounts of money in what may be the last stage of my career. Sometimes you have to think about that.”
In late November, he tried to push speculation about his future off the radar, saying he was “not worried” about whether a new deal in Manchester would manifest. Now, six months from the end of his contract, De Bruyne is free to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with any club outside of England.
San Diego is on the shortlist of his possible next destinations, with the MLS upstart and many suitors closely monitoring how much he has left to offer. De Bruyne missed most of the fall due to, as he said in late November, an abdominal issue that caused pain in his groin whenever he shot a ball. De Bruyne turns 34 in June, having logged 34,318 minutes in league action (to say nothing of cups, continental and international play) since debuting in 2009.
De Bruyne is an ambitious target for a club that will make its professional debut in 2025. As we await a decision about his future, here’s how San Diego could bring the Belgian to Southern California.
A bureaucratic courtship
MLS is infamous for its labyrinth of roster rules that make the league nearly unplayable in the Football Manager video game series. In the real world, the process is only a bit less convoluted — albeit with some oddities unique to the league.
As a single-entity circuit, all players who join an MLS club need their rights to be assigned. For a player such as De Bruyne who has never before played in MLS, teams must lodge priority claims on his “Discovery Rights,” which is functionally a web portal where teams can hold squatter’s rights over up to five players at a time. Teams will drop players from their list to make room for another target and another club can freely claim the rights of the nominally undiscovered player.
As an expansion franchise, San Diego’s discovery list holds up to seven players until the 2025 season’s roster compliance date, which comes just before the season kicks off on February 22. If San Diego has De Bruyne on their seven-man shortlist, they can move forth freely to negotiate with the player’s camp. If another team has a discovery claim on him that pre-dates San Diego’s interest, the new club will need to acquire his rights via trade (often $50,000 of general allocation money).
If this sounds like a way for conniving teams to profit off a player’s movement without intending to sign him themselves, fear not: MLS’s official rules forbid it. For players such as De Bruyne who would obviously be a designated player, MLS has the right to “determine whether the club has the necessary intent, means, and ability to sign such a player.” The rule goes on to clarify that MLS may contact a player’s current club or his representative to gauge how likely the player would come to that specific club.
“If the league determines that there is no realistic chance of signing the player at that time, he will not be discoverable.”
How much could De Bruyne make?
In short, whatever San Diego is willing to pay him.
In 2007, MLS launched the designated player rule so teams could sign players to high wages while remaining in compliance with the league’s salary cap. The first DP, of course, was David Beckham, who left Real Madrid for the LA Galaxy to kick off MLS’s modern era. No matter his salary, a Designated Player hits the salary cap at the senior maximum budget charge. In 2025, that figure is $743,750. The salary cap for the upcoming season sits at $5.95 million annually.
Last season, nine players earned guaranteed salaries in excess of $5million. Lionel Messi led the way with his $20.4million guaranteed compensation, while Italian winger Lorenzo Insigne is second on $15.4million. Sergio Busquets ($8.8million), Xherdan Shaqiri ($8.2million) and Sebastian Driussi ($6.7million) rounded out the top five highest earners.
Currently, San Diego has one designated player: Mexico international Hirving Lozano, who signed a four-year contract with the club along his home nation’s border in June. MLS teams can sign up to three DPs,or opt to limit themselves to two DPs in exchange for an additional Under-22 Initiative signing and $2million of general allocation money.
Does San Diego’s newcomer status play a role?
Not directly. Any club can theoretically sign any player in the world regardless of market or the player’s status if they make the right sales pitch.
However, San Diego does have one of the cleanest salary cap situations of any MLS club given the nascent state of their roster. The expansion side had 17 players on its roster as of January 3, including just four true midfielders. As they’re still cobbling together their first roster, signing De Bruyne would require fewer moving parts to fall into place than a side with an established core already up against the salary cap.
Often, new MLS clubs have tried to sign a clear leading figure. Los Angeles FC launched with Carlos Vela at the fore, while Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC), Driussi (Austin FC) and Lozano (San Diego) show clubs have continued to skew a bit younger compared to more aged frontmen of a bygone decade such as Kaka (Orlando City), David Villa and Frank Lampard (New York City) or Freddie Ljungberg (Seattle Sounders).
Of course, only so many players in the world can match De Bruyne’s pedigree. While his signing would almost certainly be a shorter-term partnership, it’s a rare opportunity for clubs operating beyond New York, Los Angeles or Miami.
Is this different to Messi’s Miami move?
In spirit, yes, but functionally, no.
To borrow a term from modern collectables parlance, Messi’s deal with Miami is a “one-of-one” scenario. He, too, arrived on a free transfer, allowing the club to negotiate directly with him rather than Paris Saint-Germain.
What truly made Messi’s deal singular was the considerations beyond salary that lured him to South Beach. Messi was given equity in Inter Miami, while he also sees a cut of increased income associated with league partners Apple, Adidas and Fanatics. Although Beckham’s deal involved the rights to launch an MLS club (which he did with Miami), it’s rare for a player to command that kind of lucrative perk.
Strip away the side revenue streams and the deals look far more similar. Both players began negotiations as they neared the end of their contract with their previous club — a Bosman transfer (the 1995 Bosman ruling states that clubs from other countries can discuss and finalise pre-contract agreements with players in Europe up to six months before the expiry of their current deals). Both were earmarked for a DP slot, ensuring they would hit the salary cap at a predetermined rate. Both would require an international slot and a senior roster slot, far easier factors to sort out in the grand scheme of things.
Does this make sense for San Diego FC?
Yes.
…
I’m sorry, apparently I need to expand on that.
De Bruyne may not have the same marketability as Messi, but he has been at the heart of one of Europe’s all-time dynasties for a decade. His longtime friend and international teammate Christian Benteke has spoken in glowing terms about what moving to MLS has done for his career and his mental health. The Belgian striker beat Messi and Luis Suarez to win the 2024 MLS Golden Boot with 23 goals.
GO DEEPER
A look at San Diego FC’s roster after the MLS expansion draft
Even in his mid-30s, De Bruyne would be a massive signing for a club entering its first season. The midfield is awfully thin as currently constructed, lacking even two players who are clearly capable of being regular starters in MLS. That depth would need to be bolstered even if De Bruyne signs given the likelihood he won’t be a “90 minutes, twice a week” option during the MLS season’s busiest stretch. That said, the Belgian has started five of City’s seven matches since December 4, including full-90 shifts against Leicester City and West Ham in the span of seven days.
For nearly a year, the flirtation between player and club has been public. Only time will tell if they can forge a partnership from their mutual interest. His leadership acumen and draw for neutral viewers would also represent a bombastic shot in the arm as the club works to make a strong first impression. Even in his mid-30s, he remains a danger for any opponent in the world’s most competitive league.
If they can sign him, it’ll ensure San Diego remains in the broader MLS discourse from day one.
(Top photo: Michael Regan/Getty Images)
New documents show that the superintendent of Chula Vista Elementary School District and a company he pushed as a prospective district contractor have been connected since at least 2018.
Al Renteria, the operator of Dr. Build, donated $100 to Superintendent Eduardo Reyes’ campaign for school board in 2018.
Reyes, allegedly pressured a district employee multiple times to award a contract to Renteria, as our Will Huntsberry revealed earlier this week. The district employee who made the allegation is also under investigation for allegedly having an unusually close relationship with a separate company.
A district spokesperson has repeatedly not answered questions about how long Reyes and Renteria have known each other. The spokesperson previously said they have no personal relationship.
“The idea that Dr. Reyes would be influenced by a publicly disclosed $100 contribution is preposterous,” the spokesperson wrote.
Read the full story here.
Two D1 Candidates Push for Delayed County Budget Vote
A quiet campaign to delay the county’s annual budget vote got a lot louder on Wednesday but also didn’t seem to get any more likely to succeed – at least directly.
Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre and Chula Vista Deputy Mayor Carolina Chavez, who are both vying for the open District 1 supervisor’s seat, argued that county supervisors shouldn’t approve a budget until the South Bay seat is filled.
One big complication: A now politically divided County Board of Supervisors would need to vote to agree to formally shift a budget timeline now scheduled to end with a vote by the end of June – and Supervisors Joel Anderson and Terra Lawson-Remer told Voice of San Diego they don’t want to do that.
But also: District 1 candidates may get their wish anyway. While Lawson-Remer doesn’t want to change the county’s budget timeline, she also doesn’t expect the political divided board to pass a budget by the end of June. She predicts the winner of the District 1 race, widely expected to be decided in a July 1 runoff, will be the deciding vote on the county’s budget.
Read the full story.
The Learning Curve: What Trump’s Cuts Mean for One University
UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep Khosla is calling attention to how funding cuts proposed by the Trump administration could impact the university.
In the email sent to staff on Tuesday, Khosla wrote university officials had received notices of the disruption of funding sources to around 50 UCSD researchers. The university has also seen a “concerning rise,” in delayed payments for projects not paused or cut.
The actions pose a “significant financial risk to the university,” Khosla wrote. Still, they were “unable to predict exactly what the losses will be,” he continued.
The university leader also laid out a series of actions the school is taking to deal with the shortfall, Jakob McWhinney writes in the latest Learning Curve.
Read more here.
Save the Date: Politifest 2025
That’s right, Politifest is back, baby!
Mark your calendars for Politifest 2025 on Saturday, Oct. 4, at University of San Diego. We’ll be back with a great lineup of speakers and panel discussions.
In Other News
- The San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce has a new CEO: Chris Cate, a former San Diego councilmember. Axios San Diego spoke to Cate about what’s next and what this means for the Chamber. (Editor’s note: Chris Cate currently serves on Voice of San Diego’s board.)
- National City has replaced security guards with police officers at its library. (inewsource)
- It should come as no surprise that newly built homes are hard to come by in San Diego. A new report found that last month the region only saw 50 developments of single-family homes, condos and townhouses. (Union-Tribune)
- Chula Vista and the Port of San Diego are celebrating more access to the bay with a new park near the Gaylord development.(KPBS) Also, the Port is planning to increase parking rates along the bay. (NBC 7)
- Speaking of fees: The city of San Diego’s Environmental Services Department will recommend to the City Council that the city’s new monthly trash fee be $53. (NBC 7)
- In 2018, a couple called on police to get their son help. He was making threats to drive his sports car the wrong way on the freeway. San Diego police said they couldn’t do anything. Later that day, he followed through and died after colliding with a van – the woman and daughter in that car died as well. Following several lawsuits from both families, SDPD has made policy changes to how officers respond. (CBS 8)
The Morning Report was written by Will Huntsberry, Lisa Halverstadt and Andrea Lopez-Villafaña. It was edited by Andrea Lopez-Villafaña.
An East County-based plumbing contractor has been ordered to pay more than $1 million in restitution in a workers’ compensation fraud case brought by local prosecutors.
The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office said an investigation and audit into GPS Plumbing found that the company wasn’t reporting millions of dollars in payroll.
The wages GPS Plumbing reported to the Employment Development Department and the wages it reported to the State Compensation Insurance Fund — which provided the company with workers’ compensation insurance coverage — revealed “a vast difference,” the DA’s Office said.
The company’s owner, Daniela Birdwell, pleaded guilty to one count of workers’ compensation insurance premium fraud. Along with the $1,030,062 restitution order, Birdwell was sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to perform 320 hours of community service.
“Employers who engage in premium fraud are not only breaking the law, they also gain an unfair advantage over their competitors,” San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said in a statement.
The DA’s Office said insurance fraud is the second-largest economic crime in the nation, costing consumers an estimated $80 billion to $90 billion annually.
In recent decades, two South Bay school districts have been home to corruption scandals that ended with superintendents serving jail time in pay-to-play scandals.
Now, a different South Bay district is embroiled in pay-to-play corruption allegations, as our Will Huntsberry reveals in a new story.
The former COO of Chula Vista Elementary School District is under investigation for allegedly having an unusually close relationship with a company seeking to do work in the district, district officials confirmed.
But the former COO, Jovanim Martinez, said the investigation against him is retaliatory. It wasn’t him trying to make sure work got awarded to certain companies — it was actually the district Superintendent Eduardo Reyes and Board Member Francisco Tamayo.
On top of that, Martinez said he and another employee were essentially ordered by an assistant superintendent to organize a fundraiser and host on behalf of two school board candidates as part of their district duties.
In a series of shocking allegations, Martinez said that Reyes pressured him to award a contract to a company called Dr. Build that specializes in ADU construction. When a contract didn’t go to Dr. Build, Reyes pulled it from a board meeting agenda.
District officials, however, say Reyes pulled the contract because they believe Martinez had found a way to make sure it went to a different company.
Read the full story here.
South County Report: District 1 Race Home Stretch
Just when San Diegans thought they were out of balance shifting County Supervisor elections, former Supervisor Nora Vargas pulled them back in.
Vargas’ abrupt resignation four months ago set up a high-stakes face-off to replace her not seen since November, when former Mayor and Republican Kevin Faulconer challenged Democratic incumbent Terra Lawson-Remer for the District 3 seat. Faulconer lost that election, ensuring Democrats kept control of the County government – for now.
A whole host of would-be successors have stepped up to run for Vargas’ seat and in the process, have raised over $2 million. Those candidates include multiple high-profile Democratic politicians who’ve been slugging it out in campaign ads. Given the number of Democrats in the race, they’re likely fighting for second place – and a ticket to a runoff – behind Chula Vista Mayor John McCann.
And even though South County has long been solidly Democratic, recent electoral shifts, and the more conservative nature of run-off elections, could play in McCann’s favor.
Read the South County Report here.
Song of the Week
Ian Curtis, “Novel”: An enchanting, understated dose of indie rock, “Novel,” is both wistful and hopeful. Curtis’ velvety vocals float on top of a mellow acoustic guitar and bouncy bassline. It’s the kind of song that, although compact, feels like it’s taking deep breaths. It’s in no hurry to get to where it’s going, even if where it’s going is right around the corner. Read more about the Song of the Week here.
Like what you hear? Check out Ian Curtis at Soda Bar on Saturday, April 5.
Do you have a “Song of the Week” suggestion? Shoot us an email and a sentence or two about why you’ve been bumping this song lately. Friendly reminder: all songs should be by local artists.
In Other News
- A jury has decided that National City must pay a former police officer $10 million in damages in a suit where she alleged that she was sexually harassed, discriminated against and retaliated against while working for the police department. The Union-Tribune reports the City Council is set to discuss the verdict and consider the city’s legal options. The settlement makes up 15 percent of the small city’s general fund.
- KPBS reports that some people are tuning out of politics to protect their mental health.
- One person died after falling from the wall on the U.S.-Mexico border on Monday and another was injured, according to authorities.
- City Heights businesses are finally getting some relief with the reopening of University Avenue between Fairmont and Euclid, but still, some say the damage has been done. The busy main road has been bogged down by ongoing construction for at least two years.
- The Trump administration has frozen $44 million in federal funds meant to help combat homelessness in San Diego. HUD officials are requiring local leaders to sign a new contract with the vague prohibition of “promoting illegal immigration.” (Union-Tribune)
The Morning Report was written by Will Huntsberry and Jakob McWhinney. It was edited by Andrea Lopez-Villafaña.
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